My grandmother makes the world’s best mushroom soup. Unfortunately, I can’t replicate it and make my own version instead. This soup is healthy, can be made vegetarian (or not), and is super filling. My grandmother’s version has about 4 ingredients, my version has a lot more.

It’s the first week where it’ll be in the 70s all week, with perfect and chilly evenings. I’ve been craving soup for such a long time, that this is just enough excuse (and cold enough) for me to make something.

One problem I have with soups is that, in the end, it always looks like a stew. I never, ever put enough liquid in and always put too many veggies. I had this exact problem with the Mushroom Barley soup. In the end, I just added a cup or two of hot, boiling water to dilute it and make it look like what it is - soup.

I used Organic, Free Range chicken broth for this soup. You can use veggie broth, beef broth, or even water.

One problem with making “my own” is that I don’t really keep track of how (amount) I put in. Although it’s not a pure guess, the list and amount of ingredients is a pure estimation. On one hand,  you might not put enough and you’ll get a good soup. On the the other hand, you’ll put too much and you’ll get a stew. To me - it’s a win-win situation.

Mushroom-Barley Soup
(Serves 3 or 4 - depending on the size of your bowls)

1/2 cup Pearl Barley
1 large Carrot (peeled)
2 medium size Idaho Potatoes - cubed
2 celery stalks (cleaned and cut in small pieces)
1 onion chopped in small-ish pieces
1 clove garlic
8 oz mushrooms of your choice (I used 1/2 baby bella and 1/2 white, button) - if you like a lot of mushrooms, add more!
32oz - any kind of broth or water

Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Oregano

Ok, so here are the directions to the way I made the soup. Please feel free to deviate from the directions and let me know how it turned out!

In a heavy pan or dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in a little bit of oil (1 teaspoon or so). When they are fragrant (but not brown), add the broth/water. Bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots, and barley. Add salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. Simmer for about 40-45 minutes. While the soup is simmering, in a frying pan, saute the mushrooms with a little bit of oil. When the soup has about 10 minutes left, add the potatoes and the mushrooms and continue simmering. Depending on how much barley you added, the cooking time will vary.

If you try making this or if you make a variation of this soup, definitely let me know!